Poverty

Question 1

When was the poor law amendment act?

Answer 1

1834

Question 2

Why was the poor law amendment act created?

Answer 2

To reduce the cost of looking after the poor

Question 3

Following the poor law amendment act in 1834, where did poor people have to go for help?

Answer 3

To workhouses

Question 4

Why was Dickens upset about poverty?

Answer 4

He felt society didn’t treat the poor well

Question 5

What does Dickens use Scrooge as?

Answer 5

A symbol of the ignorance of the poor amongst rich people.

Question 6

What does Scrooge believe the poor are?

Answer 6

“Surplus”

Question 7

“Decrease the…”

Answer 7

“Decrease the surplus population”

Question 8

“The poor law in…”

Answer 8

“The poor law in full vigour, then”

Question 9

“And the union…”

Answer 9

“And the union workhouses demanded Scrooge”

Question 10

“There is nothing on which it is so hard as…”

Answer 10

“There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty”

Question 11

“Reeked with crime…”

Answer 11

“Reeked with crime, and filth, and misery”

Question 12

“Many thousands are in want of…”

Answer 12

“Many thousands are in want of common necessaries”

Question 13

What did Thomas Malthus claim?

Answer 13

The population would always grow faster than the food supplies, which would result in hunger and the poor dying.

Question 14

Did Dickens agree with Thomas Malthus?

Answer 14

No, he believed that if the rich were generous there would be enough food to go around.

Question 15

Why are the traits of Ignorance and Want a creation of society?

Answer 15

Because of the mistreatment of the poor

Question 16

“From the foldings of his robe, it brought two children…”

Answer 16

“From the foldings of his robe, it brought two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable”

Question 17

Describe an example of Ignorance and Want having animalistic qualitities:

Answer 17

“Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish”

Question 18

“Where angles might have sat down…”

Answer 18

“Where angels might have sat down enthroned, devils lurked”

Question 19

What does “Where angels might have sat down enthroned, devils lurked” suggest about Ignorance and Want?

Answer 19

It could lead to the downfall of mankind.

Question 20

“On his brow I see that written…”

Answer 20

“On his brow I see that written which is Doom”

Question 21

“This boy is Ignorance…”

Answer 21

“This boy is ignorance. This girl is want. Beware them both.”

Question 22

“But most of all beware…”

Answer 22

“But most of all beware this boy”

Question 23

“The dealings of my trade were but a drop…”

Answer 23

“The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of business”

Question 24

“If these shadows remain unaltered by the future…”

Answer 24

“If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the boy will die”